Jumpstart Week (New Beginners)
All new beginners are encouraged to hit the ground running with a Jumpstart Week! Use our New Student Registration Form to sign up.
WHEN: June Jumpstart Week: June 10th - June 14th, 2024 @ 6:30pm
July Jumpstart Week: July 8th - July 12th, 2024 @ 6:30pm
(30-60m duration - based on class size)
WHERE: Outdoor backyard location in SE Santa Rosa near Matanzas Park
Accessible to HWY 12, Hoen Ave., Yulupa Ave., Bennett Valley Rd.
WHO: Geared towards new beginners ages 10 and under
Open to all ages who feel comfortable in an open age group setting
Caregivers are welcome to stay (required for ages 6 and under)
Jumpstart Week provides new students with the opportunity to explore multiple instruments and experience the Uncaged Musicians approach to music education. We sing, play movement-based games, work with rhythmic and tonal patterns, and use piano, recorder, and percussion instruments (including bucket drums!) daily. Days 1-4 will end with a "petting zoo" style opportunity to try a different stringed instrument in turn (Day 1: violin and viola, Day 2: ukulele, Day 3: guitar, and Day 4: cello) and Day 5 will end with an informal group performance.
An evening timeslot was chosen to increase the likelihood of comfortable weather as well as offer the most accommodating fit for those with day camps, 9-5 work schedules, early bedtimes, and other activities. Pajamas, blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals are all welcome - younger kids especially may enjoy the adventure of taking a little musical detour before bed! Attending classes every day gives parents and children alike direct experience with how much they learn after just five days in a row, making it easier to form a daily practice habit right from the beginning.
As a bonus, Jumpstart Week students are considered current Uncaged Musicians students for Summer 2024. This means they receive priority registration in both Summer 2024 and Fall 2024 and are eligible for the current student discount on the Celtic Music & Dance Camps we offer in collaboration with Shiloh Step Irish Dance. These M-F day camps happen the week after each Jumpstart Week and are a great way to continue progressing on both recorder and bucket drums while learning Irish Dance, singing, doing arts & crafts, learning a few Gaelic words, playing games, and making friends. In addition to setting new Uncaged Musicians students up for success on their chosen instrument, Jumpstart Week is also an excellent fit for campers, especially those who like to dip their toes into a new activity or benefit from having a more gradual introduction to a trusted adult leading up to their first day of camp.
After Jumpstart Week, interested students can continue in a variety of ways:
- signing up for ongoing weekly lessons/classes, if they will be in town the majority of the time remaining before the start of the new school year and can commit to daily practice
- signing up for asynchronous instruction (see below) for those with a busier summer, with the goal of joining ongoing weekly lessons/classes in the fall
- attending another Jumpstart Week and/or our Celtic Music & Dance Camps
NOTE: no instrument is needed to participate in Jumpstart Week! After Jumpstart Week, an instrument is required to continue on recorder or piano (for all ages) or on a stringed instrument (for ages 7+). Stringed instrument students under age 7 can continue to progress without an instrument for the remainder of the summer as long as they are prepared to acquire a properly sized instrument in September.
Asynchronous Instruction (New Beginners)
Best in combination with a Jumpstart Week or Celtic Music & Dance Camp to establish a solid teacher-student connection, but available to any new beginners. Sign up via our New Student Registration Form!
Asynchronous instruction is perfect for students who need more flexibility this summer than weekly lessons/classes provide but still want the personalized trajectory and heightened accountability of individualized instruction. Do multiple lessons in a week with a lot of downtime and then do fewer or none during camp or travel. Students will receive one Instructional Video and one Guided Practice Video to work from at a time. When they have used these to practice as much as they wish, they send a Student Submitted Video (as frequently as they would like) and will receive a new Instructional Video and Guided Practice Video within two days (up to three times per week).
Mastery of a new concept is not required to submit a video. Anytime a student is feeling discouraged, they should submit a video right away describing and/or showing where they are stuck to avoid further frustration. Similarly, if any concept comes easily in a way that feels boring rather than exciting, the student should mention that in order to receive more challenging tasks in the future. Likewise, students can request to continue deepening their understanding of one skillset, return to an old one, or explore a new one. The path offered to each student will vary much the way the pieces of a marble run can be configured in a wide variety of ways, for a personalized combination of vertical, lateral, and spiraling concept development.
Please be aware that this approach can be wonderful for covering gaps of a few weeks or months but is rarely successful longer term. The exception would be, for example, a highly motivated teen or adult learner who has practice time available on a near-daily basis, just not at reliable times each week due to traveling extensively year-round.
Asynchronous instruction requires parental involvement to be successful for all younger children, most preteens, and some teens; even adults may find it challenging to stick to without proactive planning. The younger and less independent the student, the more likely the parent is to need to be present throughout each and every video lesson and practice session. An older or more independent student may be able to get by with just reminders to watch new instructional videos, practice, and submit videos back to their teacher, but unless they always reliably reach out when frustrated, it would be wise to schedule time to check in with them routinely. With all of the above in mind, please look at your schedule creatively but realistically before choosing this format.
Lessons & Classes (All Levels)
Use our New Student Registration Form to join the waiting list for Summer 2024. Classes will be offered based on the interests and availability of those who have registered prior to May 2024. Space is limited. Priority is given to current Uncaged Musicians first, including new students enrolled in Jumpstart Week or Celtic Music & Dance Camp; other new students may not be accepted until Fall 2024.
New students who studied their instrument throughout the most recent school year (Fall 2023 - Spring 2024) or already play at an intermediate or advanced level are eligible for weekly instruction or summer punchcards (see tuition page for punchcard details).